Alice
by kremmy
Summary: um..basically this is alice's story starting with when she's in an insane asylum and then afterwards when she's a vampire and meets jasper and the cullens. wow. first fanfic EVER! please be gentle but also be honest! and PLEASE R&R!
1. Chapter 1

It was dark and the floor was damp, but I didn't care. It was always dark, and I preferred to be damp and curled up on the floor than strapped to that cold, high bed. Something crawled across my foot and I muffled a scream.

"It's only a rat, Alice, only a rat," I muttered to myself. "Only a rat."

I sat there, in a little corner of an empty room. Waiting. Today was the day they had promised to take me out, to show me the sun. How I missed the sun! I hadn't seen it in so many years…ever since I was a child and had that first wretched vision of mother dying. I had begged her not to go out that day but she went… and the car hit her just as I had seen.

Then the visions just wouldn't stop! They came pouring out from every corner, wherever I looked, I saw something. It was like an on going nightmare and it didn't matter that I wasn't asleep. The worst part was when they all came true. The maids wouldn't come near me and father thought I was possessed by the devil. He would have killed me, doubtless, had I not looked so much like my mother; instead I was sent here. Into eternal darkness.

I heard footsteps in the hall and clumsily scrambled to my feet – only to fall again, blinded by a vision.

_He looked young, not more than 25, and he was beautiful, oh so beautiful. His eyes were a burgundy color, his skin was pale, and his hair was a dark brown. I saw my Emma, my nurse, leading him to my room and giggle; throwing him glances from under her lashes and sweet smiles. Then the vision skipped, the way dreams sometimes do, and I saw him, an immeasurable time later, leading the giggling Emma out of the asylum and down a dark street, smelling her neck and kissing her wrists…_

Then the door opened and the beautiful one allowed Emma to pass first, the way a gentleman does. Emma's mood changed immediately when she saw me crumpled on the floor, my eyes filled with fear.

"Oh, Mary, not again!" Her face was exasperated, though she was usually kinder than the others. "Come Mary, come meet Mr. Anders. He's knew here and you'll want to make a good impression. Come Mary," she pleaded, trying to lift me off the floor. But I wouldn't budge. I just sat there, transfixed with fear, but unsure of what I was afraid of. I wondered if I really was losing my mind after all.

"My name is not Mary," I said finally. "It's Alice."

He smiled at me and offered me his hand. I took it cautiously, and stood up.

"You promised to take me outside today, Emma," I whispered, unable to look away from his beautiful face, and fully aware that it was raining.

I didn't have to look over to know that Emma looked stunned and not just a little hurt that Mr. Anders was taking such an intense interest in me. I smiled slightly.

"It's pouring buckets outside," she said somewhat triumphantly. "We can't go today."

I had not seen this. I grimaced, and looked at Emma, finally letting go of his hand.

"Please, Emma," I begged. "You won't be here tomorrow and I haven't been

outside in so long…"

Emma was a kind soul, and seeing me so evidently in pain, she caved.

"Oh alright. But only for a few minutes, _Mary_," she said sighing. "I'm sorry Mr. Anders," she said apologetically. "I'm afraid I promised her, and the poor soul is usually in so much pain! Why it's a miracle she can even stand today!"

"It's not a problem at all Miss Emma," he answered in a melodic voice. "In fact, why don't you let me take her outside for a bit, so you don't get wet. It'll be no trouble at all." He smiled at her and she reached for the wall to support her suddenly weak knees.

"That's very kind of you," she whispered.

He took my arm and lead me out of the room and down the hall as if I were a great lady and it was an honor to walk with me. His touch was cold, but I didn't notice; I was used to cold.

"So Mary - " he began, but I interrupted him.

"My name is Alice," I said with confidence.

"Why Alice?" he asked to my surprise.

"Because it was my mother's name, and if I did not look like her I would not be alive," I answered.

"Alice..." he mused. "There are prettier names.."

"And there are prettier girls to have them." This made him smile and melted my insides. I quickly looked away, unsure of what was happening to me.

We had come to the door now, and he let go of my arm to get an umbrella and open the door when it happened again. I dropped to the floor like the last leaf of a tree branch blown away by a December wind, and the vision began.

_It was very dark and he was sitting on the rooftop of some building. There was someone sitting next to him and there was something very similar about them. The other one was also pale and had the same color eyes, but he was plain – no where near as beautiful as Mr. Anders. _

_"So Jon, how is the asylum?" asked the plain one._

_"Pathetic, for the most part. Though, there is a very peculiar girl there…I don't believe she belongs there at all. She has quite a personality," he answered. The other one laughed._

Could they be talking about me? _a distant part of my brain wondered.) _

_"I meant the blood. Anything particularly good?" he asked. _

_"Oh, yes. Well no, not really. They are sick, James, how good can you expect them to smell?" he retorted, looking away. _

_"And this girl... with the personality, what does she smell like?" he probed._

_"Mmmm…well she's different. No matter how tempting, I could never touch her. She's quite…special." _

The next thing I saw was Mr. Anders' – Jon's – piercing eyes staring deeply into mine.

"Alice, are you alright?" he asked calmly.

"Yes," I smiled. He gave me his hand once again and I got up, whispering ever so quietly, "Jon." His head snapped around to look at an amazing speed and his look was alarmed.

I must have looked scared because he immediately relaxed and smiled.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"Nothing," I answered, looking ahead, seemingly preoccupied with the view that the outside offered, but really not daring to look at his eyes.

Then I really did look, and it took my breath away. I had only seen the world through my visions, and now here it was, stretched out and drenched before me. A carriage drove by and I recognized a Ms. Peters and her maid Kitty.

"That's Ms. Peters," I said, unable to contain myself. "And the pretty girl with her is Kitty, her maid."

"Do they visit you?" he asked. I smiled sadly.

"No. Ms. Peters beat Kitty last week and accused her of stealing money, but she doesn't know that it was really her son."

Next, a tall boy walked by, carrying a message.

"That's Andrew. He work at Mr. Till's bakery. He Kissed Hanna, Mr. Till's daughter two weeks ago and she slapped him," I said smiling a little.

"Does he visit you then?" Jon asked. (I wondered vaguely why I called him Jon already, but quickly moved on with my thoughts – I could think of him forever, but I had only now to see the world.)

"No," I said, not offering any further explanation. A black girl walked out of one of the houses on the street and sat on the wet stairs; she was crying, I knew, but I couldn't see it.

"Tina," I said, my voice shaky. "She was raped two days ago by a traveling gang of boys." I few tears slid down my cheeks as I remember that vision and her pain. "She'll have a baby and her master will though her out of the house," I whispered. He looked at me curiously.

"Does she visit you then," he asked, certain now that I would say yes, because how else would I know such personal details of this girl's life? The corners of my mouth twitched, but sadness overwhelmed me for the grim future of this girl. I started to shake, and my weak legs gave way; he held me up now, used to my sudden falls already.

"I think we'd go inside," he said. And made open the door, but I grabbed his hand.

"Wait! Please wait," I begged. "I haven't – I haven't see anything in so long – wait!" Tears streamed down my face and the shaking got worse. "Just a few more minutes," I whispered. "Please."

He looked grim and his arm went firmly around my waist now, supporting my weak frame.

"What will Miss Emma say when I return you like shaking like a leaf?" he asked somewhat sarcastically.

"She'll scold me for keeping you outside in the cold and ask you if I was any trouble," I answered knowingly. I started to shiver from the cold now as well, and his expression did not change. Suddenly, he lifted me in his arms, and turned to the door.

"Yes, but I'm sure she won't be too happy if her patients suddenly start dying because I've kept them outside in the cold too long, so in we go."

I let the silent tears roll down my cheeks and I looked away from the town. He sighed in exasperation.

"I'll take you outside again tomorrow," he promised. I looked at him startled out of my sadness – that was rare thing.

"You will?" I asked in astonishment. He smiled wryly.

"Don't tell me: you didn't know that already?" he said laughing. His perfect white teeth gleamed in the dimness of the hallway and sent a shiver down my spine.

"How would I know?" I asked, unable to believe that he had actually picked up on the fact that I saw the future and even more so that he believed me.

He only smiled and said nothing.

Emma was in my room, when we reached, doubtlessly waiting for Jon to return. Her eyes grew wide when she saw him carrying me in his arms.

"Mary, you're shaking like a leaf! I shouldn't have let you go outside; and you kept poor Mr. Anders out in the cold too long! I hope she wasn't any trouble, Mr. Anders," Emma said, talking a hundred miles per minute. He smiled a breathtaking smile to reassure her.

"I don't mind the cold, and Alice wasn't any trouble at all," he answered. Emma looked a little confused when he called me Alice, but didn't mention it. Instead, she started using the name as well.

"Well then Alice, I'll come by later with dinner," and she turned to walk away.

"I'll see you tomorrow Alice," Jon looked at me pointedly, as if we were in the court of a king and having some sort of intrigue. I smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Anders, for the walk," I said as he closed the door and left me in darkness yet again.


	2. Chapter 2

I waited for Emma to return that night, but she didn't. My _other_ visitors on the other hand, wouldn't leave. The visions came, one after the other without even a pause for breath. My head ached terribly and I sank to the ground in my usual corner, leaning against the cold wall. They were all so terrible – death, murder, famine, pain - the horrible images kept pouring into my mind and I was powerless to stop them.

I let them come, only sitting very quietly as tears streamed down my face. I had learned long ago that screaming and thrashing, as I used to do, would only bring the other nurses in, and they weren't as kind as Emma. They strapped me to the bed, so I wouldn't hurt myself and left me boundin the darkness to fight the future alone.

Then there was a pause from all the catastrophe in the world and my mind cleared up for a few seconds – preparing me for the most horrifying image I had ever seen.

_He led her down a dark street, one arm around her waist, whispering sweet things in her ear. Emma giggled and stumbled over something in the road. He caught, and then he was pressing her against the wall of a building. I vaguely wondering if my vision was skipping parts or if he really could move so quickly. He brought her hand to his face, smelling her wrist. Then he was smellingher neck, and pressing his lips to it. Emma's eyes were closed and she moaned softly. _

_I had seen people do this before, in my visions, but somehow this seemed different. For some reason, I couldn't stop the fear that was now overflowing everything else. _

_Then it happened. Emma brought her hand up to her throat a little too fast, scratching her self with her ring. A thin red line appeared onher white throat and his burgundy eyes flashed dangerously. He had his lips on the spot before she could move, and he pressed her even harder against the wall. Emma's face turned very pale and she tried to fight a little, only succeeding in making his already iron grasp more firm. Her eyes closed and she sighed, never to open them again. _

_He finally looked up at her still white face, his lips red with blood. _

The vision stoppedand I was screaming and shaking violently. There were several people in the room trying to bring me to the bed, but I wouldn't move. I kept screaming for Emma but no one answered my pleas.

Finally, when they had me strapped down, one of the nurses stayed behind and to try to get me to eat.

"Where's Emma?" I asked, ignoring the spoon she was trying to force into my mouth. She sighed, obviously frustrated at my unwillingness to cooperate.

"She's not here, sheleft early today.Now eat," and she stuffed the spoon in my mouth. The food tasted like rust and I spit it out in her face.

"Oh you wretched little wench," she screamed and hit me across the face. "I'll teach you to be ungrateful!" she yelled and undoing the straps, she whipped me off the bed and I flew across the small cell-like roomand hit the opposite wall. She procured a sticks from somewhere and beat me savagely, cursing and drawing blood with every strike.

I was too weak to move when she finally left, and I fell asleep, bleeding on the floor.

When I woke up, it was dark. That's all there seemed to be in my life – darkness. I sighed and then cringed because even that small movement made my broken body ache. I sat there for an immeasurable period, until I heard the sound of soft footfalls in the hall. My first thoughts were of Emma, but then I remember that she wouldn't be coming to see me anymore. My second thoughts were fear – it him, it was Jon! Who else could it be?

The door opened slightly and he came in, carrying a candle for my benefit, no doubt – since he seemed to be able to see flawlessly in the dark.

"Alice?" his voice was so soft and melodic, that I almost forgot the monster he was. He spotted me huddled in the corner, and he caught his breath.

"Alice, what happened?" he asked in atight voice, his whole body going rigid.

"You," I spat out. "You are what happened. You killed Emma!" I shrieked, and he was beside me in an instant, hand over my mouth, his expression pained. He let go of my mouth long enough to grab the sheet off my bed and wrap it around me.

"What are you doing?" I asked, surprised.

"I'm trying to lessen the smell of your blood," he said, not bothering to pretend he didn't know what I was talking about. I could feel the blood draining from my face at his casual remark on what he was.

"Then you're really…" I didn't dare say it. Part of me was actually hoping that I was insane.

"A vampire?" The thought seemed to amuse him. "Or don't you trust your visions anymore?"

The tears welled up in my eyes again.

"How could I, after…" I trailed off again.

"Alice, I'm sorry you saw that. If I had known you would see I wouldn't have done it." He turned the force of his mesmerizing eyes on me, but instead of melting my insides, the red tint made me shiver.

"Alice…I won't hurt you. I promise," he whispered, and I wanted so much to believe him, but the images of Emma's pale face kept coming into my mind. I didn't say anything, just looked away.

"I didn'twant to be - thirsty, when I was around you...I don't want to hurt you Alice. You're too...special to hurt." He waited form me to respond, but when I didn't he kept going. "I came back today to offer you a chance to escape. You can't want to live here forever - come with me! Let me help you," he whispered in a very seductive voice.

I knew he was a monster. I knew hewas only fascinated by my curse, but it didn't matter. He was offering me the sun, and I took it.

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I had no possessions, so taking me away was no trouble, and I doubted anyone there would miss me anyway. He led me outside, and it was dark, so there was no one around to see us leaving. I was very weak from yesterday's events, so he carried me to the waiting carriage and seated me in it.

At first, I didn't realize there was already somebody waiting for us in it, but then a plain, pale face with dark eyes leaned towards me from out of the shadows and seemed to sniff the air. I pulled back, shocked and scared by the look in the stranger's eyes.

_This is James,_ I though, _the one who asked about my blood._

Then Jon was in the carriage, protectively putting his arm around my shoulders and glaring a warning at James, who backed away a little.

"Hello, beautiful," he said with a sly smile.

"Alice, this is - " Jon started to say.

"James," I finished for him. "I know." Then I blacked out as another vision took over.

_"James you are not to touch her, you hear me? She's not be hurt," Jon was saying in a rough voice. James smiled easily._

_"Of course, of course! After all…what would you do without your pet?" and with that he turned and walked away. _

_The vision skipped to another scene then, and we were sitting in room with a fire. There was a knock on the door, and Jon stood to get it. As soon as he turned his back to me James had his arm around my waist, and his other hand was covering my mouth. The door opened and a woman with wild red hair, who had the now familiar characteristics of a vampire drew Jon out of the room, occuping his attention as James sank his teeth into my neck. _

_I couldn't move an inch in his iron grasp,and the look on my face wasone of excrusiating pain.It didn't take long for the Alice in the vision toblack out._

_Jon's head snapped around in blurred movement but the woman seized his arm, engaging him in a fight. _

Jon was looking down at me with a worried expression when I opened my eyes.

"What did you see, Alice," he asked.

I was shaking slightlyand all I could do was stare at James, who only smiled. Jon followed my gaze to James, and a look of understanding crossed his face.

"He'll kill me," I breathed, knowing he would hear me. The next thing I knew he was holding me in his arms and he was running, but the only thing that gave the movement away was the wind against my face.

But his decision to take me away from James had changed the future and another vision came.

_This time we were in a dark room, and I was asleep. A shadow seemed to drop out no where and then another. The first one approached Jon while the second one grabbed my sleeping form and ran off. _

I came back to consciousness and Jon was still running, but he was slowing down.

"Don't," I whispered. "There's still coming." He sped up immediately, and I blacked out again as he changed his mind.

_He ran me to the docks and made an impossible leap onto one of the departing ships. James and the wild looking female followed soon after, making the leap with ease. They pushed any passengers and crew overboard that stood in there way, and soon it was only us. He couldn't fight while holding me, a distant part of my brain realized. _

I woke up again, my head aching.

"Stop, stop," I murmured. "It's no use. They always get me," I whispered, half dead already. "Take me. I'm letting you."

He looked hurt and pained as if what I said was so hard to imagine.

"I can't."

"Why not?" He sighed, but didn't answer. He changed direction, changing his mind one last time. The heavy blackness came again, and more visions came.

_This time the visions were very fragmented. First I saw an image of Jon sinking his teeth into the side of my neck - ah, so I would die after all- but thenhe letme fall to the ground of the cellar we seemed to be staniding in and backed away from me, running out the door in ablurred movement._

_Then it was twilight and I was looking at my reflection in a glass window. My eyes looked red and my skin looked paler than usual. _

_The next was one of a blond boy, maybe a year older than me. He was holding me very intimately and kissing my neck. He was very pale and very beautiful. And I was…happy. I wondered distantly what that felt like. _

_Then we were holding hands as we walked into a clearing and there was a bronze haired boy feeding on a mountain lion. He looked up and his eyes were gold. _

A sharp burning sensation brought my mind back to consciousness for a few seconds and I caught a glimpse of the dark cellar where my transformation was to take place.

"Thank you," I whispered, and then blackness took over for the last time.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - I just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful reviews! You guys are the best fans ever! (I feel weird having fanslol) Also, I'm really sorry that this took so long, but school is deteremined to kill me, so the next one might take even longer! SO sorry! But please review! It gives me motivation!

**Disclaimer** - (i frogot this the last two chapers /) I do not own Twilight! But I would like to own Edward for just one day at least! lol

A very sharp flash of a burning sensation in my veins made me gasp and open my eyes. I blinked, and was surprised to see the sun. It was high and bright in a clear blue sky, from what I could see through a tiny window in a cramped little cellar. I stared for a few minutes, mesmerized by the beauty of light. _Had I seen this before?_ I wondered.

A sudden crash startled me out of my silent musings, and I instinctively threw myself behind a wooden box. There was a loud crack as I hit the floor and the house shook. I felt my ribs, to make sure I hadn't broken anything – but I had. I had cracked the stone floor! I panicked a little, unsure of what was happening, but remained silent.

The previous crash had been a latter that someone had let down from the ceiling and a young boy named Andrew was climbing down it. _How do I know his name?_ I wondered, but quickly dropped the thought as a peculiar smell hit me, full force. It was salty, and rusty, and an incredibly delicious scent that seemed to pulse from the direction from of the boy.

My throat burned with an odd sensation and I had an intense desire to taste this peculiar smell – if that was possible.

"Who's there?" he called in a loud but timid voice. "Come out or I'll call Mr. Till!"

"No, don't!" I said before I could stop myself. That was a mistake. I breathed in, and the scent filled my lungs, making it very hard to resist searching madly for wherever the aroma was coming from. But I held myself back. _Why? What am I holding back against?_ I wondered, and an image of a beautiful blond boy flashed in my mind, and I knew that I had to hold back whatever it was I was holding back.

"Who're you?" he asked, approaching me cautiously. The fragrance radiated from his skin, making me wild with thirst.

"Who are _you_?" I asked, curious, despite the desire to pounce on him, to know if his namereallywasAndrew.

"M' name's Andrew," he answered. "Come out of there," he urged, now that he was sure I was only a girl. He came even closer, his aroma driving me to insanity.

I held my breath and stepped out from behind the box, careful to avoid the crack in the floor. It was dim, but I could see him very clearly. He was tall and gangly, standing awkwardly and peering at me. As I stepped into the light, so it would be easier for him to see, I could hear him gasp and his heart rate accelerate.

"What?" I asked, almost amused. "Never seem a girl before?"

He didn't answer, only continued to stare, so I looked down at myself to make sure I was properly dressed. What I saw made me gasp and stare just as he was. My skin was very white and it was glowing as if a million tiny white jewels had beenembedded in it! I wiggled my fingers in front of my face, and the light reflected off of them just as I it would from the jewels on a crown.

My fascination quickly turned to worry as I realized that this was not the reaction most humans had when the sunlight touched their skin. I grabbed a blanket off a pile of boxes in a lightning fast movement, deciding to find out what was wrong with me later, when I was alone. _Wow, that as fast –_

Realization of what I was dawned on me. I understood the feeling in my throat and what was giving off the enticing smell – his blood! I was a vampire.

Fear of what I could do to this boy and reflexes took over. I was out of the window and running like lightning before Andrew could so much as collect his thoughts. I ran, still holding my breath so I wouldn't be tempted by the blood of all the humans I passed. I ran and ran, never pausing, even when I was out of the town's limits.

When I finally stopped, I found myself in a thick forest with the sun hidden beneath the horizon; it was twilight.

I took a deep breath, and ditching the blanket, I started to analyze myself. I didn't feel tiered or hungry, but I was very thirsty. The kind of thirst no amount of water could quench. I sat down beneath a nearby tree, more for something to do, than because I needed to.

I tried to distract myself with other thoughts to avoid thinking about the thirst that made my throat so tight. I tried to remember how I had gotten to be in Mr. Till's cellar, but nothing came. I had been surprised to find myself a vampire, so I must have been human before, but I remember none of it. Eventually my thoughts drifted to the leonine, blond boy with the sad eyes. Who was he and why had I stopped my natural instinct to feed at the though of him?

Then something really strange but somehow familiar happened. My mind seemed to involuntarily focus on this beautiful boy. _I saw him in a forest, his eyes infinitely melancholy. My mind seemed to reach out to him and every cell in my body was aware of his exact location and pulled me towards it. It was far away, but I had no doubt that I could run there in a the blink of an eye for him. I saw a couple lurking in the trees and his sense suddenly pick up their scent. For a second, his eyes showed such deep sorrow that I wanted to cry, but the next instant they glazed over with thirst and bloodlust. _

I opened my eyes, a little shaken, and unsure of what I was seeing. After a few seconds I closed them again, hoping I would see more. And I did. I was surprised to find that I had more control over these – whatever they were, than I thought.

_He followed the couple, who seemed to be arguing as they went deeper into the forest, completely unaware of the murderous angle stalking them. His expression was pained, almost as if he was struggling within, but his instincts were winning. I noticed something else this time, something that wasn't visible. Somehow, this "vision" seemed undecided in a sense I couldn't describe._

_He crouched, just a few feet away from the man, and pounced. Images of blood and gore and the terrified screams of the woman filled my mind. _

I opened my eyes, and tried to conquer the bloodlust that was squeezing my throat tightly. He was like me – he was a vampire! _How odd then, that his image stopped me from killing, when he would kill someone himself,_ I mused. _Nevertheless, maybe he's not meant to kill…maybe _I'm_ not meant to kill...maybe I'm meant to stop him..._

That thought was the only prompting I needed. I was off like a bullet, flying through the trees, racing with time. I wasn't sure what I would do when I got there, but things seemed to be happening of their own will now, so I didn't worry too much.

I was so lost in my own musings, that I didn't even notice when I reached the forest where he was. Before I knew it, I was standing behind him, and I could hear the couple arguing loudly, just beyond us. He crouched, completely unaware of me, just I had seen him do, and I jumped on him before he had a chance to attack. He fell forward, but only because he was surprised. We landed in a thorny bush (which didn't matter because the thorns couldn't pierce our skin anyways) and before I knew it, he was on top of me, a menacing look in his eyes.

The couple heard the commotion and stopped arguing. He glared at me fiercely, and got up, reassuming his crouch.

But the couple were now alerted to a presence in the forest, and moved away from us with much more caution than before.

"Don't," I whispered. He looked back at me, frustration written all over his face. The couple was further away now, moving much faster, but I knew that if he wanted it, he could reach them in a matter of seconds.

He held my pleading eyes with his fierce, black ones, and finally stood up out of the crouch. I didn't dare to move, until he looked away. I got up slowly, and stood a little ways away, unsure of what to do now.

"Thank you," I whispered. He looked up immediately at the sound of my voice.

"What for?" he asked coldly.

"For not attacking them."

"What does it matter if they live?" he yelled. "There will be someone else to take their place!"

I was shocked at the outrage in his voice, and the forcefulness of his remark intimidated me - but not enough to keep me quiet.

"You don't have to..." But I trailed off.

"Don't have to what? To feed?" he smirked at me again and looked away. "What else are we supposed to do?" he questioned in a quieter tone. _He knows I'm a vampire,_ I thought to myself. _I wonder how?_

"I – I'm not sure. There has to be something we can do!" I said in despair.

"You're new aren't you? Yes you're eyes are still red.There is nothing we can do," he looked at me and the sadness was back in his eyes. "There is nothing…"

"There is," I said firmly. "Something brought me to you, to stop you from attacking them. There has to be a reason I saw you."

"Saw me? What do you mean?" he asked. His eyes locked with mine in intense curiosity. They were so beautiful and intesely forceful, like everything else about him,thatI couldn't look away, I couldn't answer his question, I couldn't think. He must have sensed my confusion because his eyes softened and a feeling of easy spread through me. I had a strange feeling that if I could have blushed, I would have.

"What did you see?" he asked again, coming closer and putting a light hand on my shoulder.

"I – I had just woken up and there was boy – I didn't know what I was feeling – I nearly jumped – but then I stopped -" My thoughts came in a jumble and I felt another wave deep of calm spread through me.

"I saw you and I stopped. I ran out of the house and far away from any people so I wouldn't be tempted…then, when I stopped, I saw you again. I saw you…killing that man."

He sighed, and didn't say anything so I continued.

"I wondered why you stopped me from feeding when you did it yourself, and thought that…" I trailed off.

"Thought what?"

"That there had to be another way. That you weren't meant to kill."

He didn't say anything for a long time, and I was growing uncomfortable, unsure if he hated me for stopping him. I turned around started to walk away silently.

"Don't go," he whispered ever so quietly. I turned to look at him, but his back was to me. "I've been alone for so long…too long.

I didn't say anything, but sat down under anearby tree, waiting for him to continue. He came and sat down next to me.

"My name's Jasper," he stated, holding out his hand for me to shake.

"Alice," was all I said. We were silent for a while, and then he spoke.

"I left my coven some years ago, traveling and living as a nomad. I haven't talked to anyone in so long…" he glanced at me.

"Why did you leave them?"

"I…I don't know. I - feeling the pain and panic humans experience when we feed - it was too much!I don't want to be a monster…but what can we do? We don't have a choice," his eyes were begging me to tell him it was ok, or that it would be ok, but I couldn't speak. After a moment he continued.

"I experimented with not feeding at all for a while," he said, giving me ray of hope – that it was working, that we didn't have to be monsters!

"What happened? Does it work?" I asked eagerly. He smirked, but quickly became serious again.

"I lasted a month, at which point I lost all control and murdered an entire village. Even the children." Despair made his eyes seem even darker.

"Oh." He smiled at my lame response. I leaned my head back against the tree and closed my eyes to think.

In the one second I let my mind wander, a vision came, and I became very still, needing to see what would happen.

_I saw Jasper and myself, walking hand in hand, towards a bronze haired boy who appeared to be a few years younger than us. His eyes were gold when he looked upand he was leaning over a lifeless mountain lion. _

_"Hello," I said, trying to calm Jasper who had tensed up as soon as we had seen the beautiful boy, and had placed himself slightly in front of me._

_"Hello," he answered, looking somewhat suprised. Another man was instantly by his side. He looked a bit older, but not by too much. He was blond and very calm. Somehow I knew his name was Carlisle. _

I opened my eyes to Jasper's touch and found him intently staring at me.

"What happened? It was like you weren't there – like you had no feelings for a moment." I gave him a curious look, but he only smiled.

"I had a vision," I said excitedly and jumped up, pulling him up with me. "We'll hunt animals!" I was euphoric at the revelation that had just been presented to me, and started off immediately, only to find that Jasper wasn't following.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"So," he said slowly, "You can see the future then." It was a statement, and I smiled.

"We'll be part of a coven soon. They hunt only animals and live among humans in peace, and we will be like them. Come on!" I took his hand and we ran through the forest, giving over to our sense for the duration of the hunt.


End file.
